Electric discharge apparatus



May 8, 1928. Y 1,668,676- I M. E. FULTZ ELECTRIC DISCHARGE AfiAamuS Filed Jan. 12. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

//7 van/0r: 7/760 5. f'u/fz by Af/y Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Application'flled lanai- 12,1920. Berial in. coma.

This invention relates to space discharge An object o the invention-is to reduce to a minimum the power losses andelectrioal disturbances which occur in high power upparatus includinga numher of space discharge devices.

Another ob'ect of the invention is to produce a simple and compactstructure for a space dischar e system comprising a number ofspace dischar e devices, each including water cooled e ectrode. V

A feature of the invention is the use'of water headers aselectrical paths.

Another feature rel tes to the circular arrangement of the elements whereby a number of discharge devices may he grouped in a relativelysmzill area, and the length and number of conductors associated with the apparatus may be reduced-to a minimum.

Another feature of the structurerelates to the use of a spool, upon which the water circulating hose cdils are wound, as a mechanical support for the superstructure of the system.

"Still another ieatu-re concernsthe removal of the protective and testing means to a point some distance from the ampli fier, thereby permitting tests to be made more conveniently and at ground potentiel.

In the system to he hereinafter described waves of relativelyflow 'power'are raised to high owel'r by means of three-electrode space ischar ge tubes, connected inparrallelg.

the tubes and associated *ap'paratushe'mg mounted on a circular supportingstrueture. The anodes of the tubes are each mounted in Jan enclosing juck'et through which cooling "water circulates, the cooling water being supplied through headers connected to the individual jackets Electrical 15 to the primaries of the transformers 216,

bus-bars which are circular in ,torm are used to connect the grids to the input apparatus, the plates to a source of D. G. potential and to 1 output ap p'aratl'is, and also to provide ,a common high frequency path to round ;in- .dependentof the individual D. g. paths to ground. The apparatus, comprising the electrical bus-bars, the water headers, the tubes, and their water jackets, is mounted upon-a spool constituting a support a hose coil 'adapted to connect the water sup- Filament heating current is sup n ply system to the water headers. A column centrally i dis osed with respect :to the $110011 cooperates therewith to constitute the empportforthe apparatus. The central column isprovided at its top with ac 1 W porting tray.

While the features and combinations be lieved to be novel aresetfonthin the claim the invention both as to its organization :03

operation, may he understood byreadingthc following descriptionlin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the water circulating arrangement and electrical circuits of "the system, and Fig. 2 illustrates a front view of the amplifier partly cut away to show the internal structure. v A

In Fig. 1 are shown a number of space discharge tubes 1, halving their plates each enclosed in areceptacle or jacket connected to a supply of cooling water through the hose section 2, water header 3, inlet water paths 4 connected to inlets of the jadiets,

outlet water paths 5 connected to the outlet: 7

of the jackets, waiter header :6, and hose coil section 7, through which the mm: is dis charged.- Weter headers :3 and 6 senve also as electrical conductors.

Waiter header 3 serves as a bus-bar for directcumvent suppliedto Bhephtes of the tubes and the alternating current do livered to the load circuit. Direct current is supplied from the 8 zthromgh conductor 9, water header 3, and paths 26 to the plates of thetuhes; The alternating current path from the platesof the tubes is through paths 26, water header 3, conductor 9, the condenserlQ, tothe loud circwit'ami thence to ground.

'Biasing potential is impressed upon the grids through the bus-hat 11 and leadsfllfi'. u flOiH rheostam the circuit 13, conductors 1 4, an

the secondaries of which are connected lby the circuits 17 to the filaments of the irespectivetubes.

The remainder of the alternating eminent pathto the cathode of the tube is provided 21, including a' relay '22, and jack "23 into Cil which an ammeter may be plugged for the purpose of measuring the spacecurrent of each tube. Relay 22 controls an alarm and protector circuit adapted to be opened when an excessive space current flows in a tube with which it is associated.

In path-s 4 and 5, which operate to con vey water to and from the jackets respectively, sections of rubber tubing 2 1 and 34 respectively, are inserted. These sections serve to electrically insulate the headers from the plates or anodes of the tubes. About the rubber sections 24 are shunted elements com prising resistances 25 in parallel with inductance coils 26, adapted to provide a relatively high impedance path, whereby parasitic or undesirable oscillating currents may be dissipated or suppressed. The inductances 26 are of low impedance for oscillating currents of the frequency to be amplified. The resistances 25 and inductances 26 cooperate to prevent the production of parasitic or interfering oscillations, or singing in the tube circuits and to permit oscillations of desired frequency to be freely transmitted to the header 3. The resistances 35 shunted about the corresponding sections of rubber tubing 34 in the outlet water paths cooperate with the parallel circuit shunted across the inlet water paths in dissipating or suppressing parasitic oscillations and definitely hold the potential of all points of the outlet water header 6 at a uniform potential with respect to all tubes, since the resistance of the path from the plate of any tube to any other tube in the system is the same whether it be adjacent or diametrically opposite.

In Fig. 2 there is shown an amplifier comprising 15 water cooled tubes embodying the water circulating system and electrical circuits schematically set forth in Fig. 1. The space dischargetubes 1 are shown associated with water jackets 27 which are connected to water headers 3 and 6 by the paths 4 and 5 respectively as described above. 4 The lower portion of the structure is formed by the spool 28 upon which is wound the cooling water hose coils. The water header 3 is mounted upon insulators 29 which are secured to the top of the spool 28. Upon the water header 3 in turn are mounted the combined water and electrical conductors 4, and water jackets 27 in which the anodes of the tubes 1 are enclosed.

Extending up through the center of the structure is a supporting column 30 having a circular supporting tray 31 at its top. Water header 6 is secured by insulators 33 to this central column, which thereby serves as an additional supporting means for the water jackets and tubes.

Circular supporting tray 31, fastened to the top of central column 80, supports the grid bus 11 which is mounted on insulating supports 32. Condensers 18 connected across the filament heating circuits are also secured to the tray 81.

Around the base of the structure are transformers 16 equal in number to the space discharge devices. A plurality of pairsof leads brought up through the center of the central supporting column connect the filament of each tube with the secondary winding of its respective tl'tlllSfOl'IIlQlZ.

he inductance coils 26, described in connection with Fig. l, are connected to the paths 1 around the rubber tube sections 24 by means of detachable clips. The resistances 25, in parallel with the coils 26 of paths 4, are mounted within the coils 26 and hence are not shown in this figure. Resistances 35 are shown, however, connected across the paths 5.

It will be readily apparent that the apparatus disclosed above constitutes a compact structure in which the supporting framework has been very greatly simplified. The circular arrangement of the electrical bus-bars provides a means by which the electrodes of the tubes may be connected to their respective bus-bars in a substantially symmetrical manner, thus insuring an equal distribution of the load among the tubes.

It. is well known that any reduction in the framework as well as in the number and length of conductors employed in high power high frequency ap aratus is desirable, since it lessens power osses and greatly decreases the causes which tend to produce parasitic oscillations. Applicants use of the water heaters as electrical paths makes possible a material reduction in the number of electrical conductors. The circular design of the structure permits a reduction in the length of the electrical conductors associated with the tubes.

By arranging the transformers around the base of the structure and connecting the relay 22 and the jack 23 between the mid-point of the secondary of the transformer and ground, the protective and testing apparatus are connected to a point which is at ground potential, whereby these ap aratus may be handled without danger 0t shocks to the operator. Moreover, it permits these apparatus to be moved to a convenient location at a distance from the amplifying system.

While in the preceding description an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited thereto, but only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A high power amplifier apparatus in which a p urality of water-cooled space discharge devices each having' a. plurality of electrodes are mounted in water jackets arranged in a circle, and external circuits for said apparatus, each circuit including a cir- .prising a plurality of tubes, each embodying a water-cooled electrode, and a water header which constitutes an electrical busbar. j

3. In a high power amplifier, a number of space discharge tubes arranged in a circle, input and output circuits therefor, includ ing circular inlet and outlet water headers,

and means connected between said water headers and the anodes on each tube for preventing the production of parasitic oscillations in the circuits of the amplifier.

4. In a high frequency amplifier the com bination of a number of space discharge tubes arranged in a circle, jackets enclosing homologous electrodes of said tubes, circular water headers which also serve as busbars, paths through which water flows to said jackets and which serve as electrical connections between the anodes of each of said tubes and each of said headers, and

' anti-singing means associated with each of said paths.

5. A high power space discharge'amplifier structure comprising a superstructure consisting of a circular array of Water 1' "ackets s ace dischar e devices in said jackets, circular inlet and outlet water headers connected to said jackets and included in the plate circuit of said devices,

a reel having a hose coil wound thereon said superstructure being mounted on said reel, and a member extending centrally through said structure, a tray secured to said member, a grid bus-bar carried by said tray, said reel and said member cooper,-

ating to constitute supporting means for said amplifier.

6. A high power amplifier havin a number of parallel connected space disc arge devices arranged symmetrically about a point, electrical bus-bars concentric with said an rangement of space discharge devices, and means for symmetrically connectin the electrodes of said space discharge evices to the respective bus-bars with which they are associated to efl'ect an equal distribution of the load among said space discharge devices.

7. A high power space discharge system, including a plurality of water-cooled space discharge devices arranged in a circle, hose coils through which cooling water is supplied to an electrode of each of said discharge devices, and a spool which supports said hose coils and upon which said discharge devices are mounted.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th day of Jan. A. D., 1926.

' MILES E. FULTZ. 

